Concord Champ '25: Qualifying Round 7 on Star Wars by Data East. Streamed from The Flipper Room.

DRI374·video·20m 5s·analyzed·Nov 18, 2025

Analysis

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TL;DR

Tournament commentary on Star Wars (Data East) gameplay and rule mechanics at Concord Champ '25.

Summary

Streaming commentary of a Concord Champ '25 qualifying round tournament match played on Star Wars by Data East at The Flipper Room. Commentators discuss gameplay mechanics, rule depth, code updates, playfield behavior, and player strategy as multiple competitors attempt to navigate the machine's complexity, with particular attention to multiball modes, shot sequences, and equipment issues like a malfunctioning DMD display.

Key Claims

Star Wars by Data East has new ROMs/code that has been updated
high confidence · Commentators confirm 'So, definitely got the new ROMs' during gameplay analysis
The Star Wars machine features a full R2-D2 toy on the playfield
high confidence · Commentator states 'This is definitely the Star Wars. This is the Star Wars to get. It has a full R2-D2 on the playfield. What is it not to love?'
The DMD (dot matrix display) on this Star Wars machine is experiencing reset/malfunction issues
high confidence · Commentators observe 'the DMD is resetting' and note 'on these games, the dot matrix is its own computer'
The machine has a spinning tilt bob that players find problematic and difficult to control
high confidence · Player Dan Dempsey appears concerned about 'a game that doesn't have a spinning tilt bob' according to commentator observation
The Death Star is a primary scoring shot and multiball progression feature in Star Wars
high confidence · Repeated instruction 'Shoot the death star' and observations about Death Star spinning during multiball modes
One player (Daniel) demonstrably knows the Star Wars game better than competitors at this event
high confidence · Commentator: 'Daniel know this game better than anyone else. It would seem like because he's just effortlessly kind of just racking up points here'
The machine has difficult ball control and unpredictable shot feeding behavior
high confidence · Commentators note 'it's really odd that the ball did it fed to the pops on the first one but not the second one' and describe 'nasty feed' on shots
Aftermarket lighting (a light placed on the playfield) is currently in use and may be banned next year
medium confidence · Commentator: 'Rick plays with a little uh light that he's placed on the playfield down there... I would assume that those would be banned for next year as well'

Notable Quotes

“This is definitely the Star Wars. This is the Star Wars to get. It has a full R2-D2 on the playfield. What is it not to love?”
Commentator @ mid-match — Positive assessment of Star Wars machine quality and features
“So, on these games, the dot matrix is its own computer.”
Commentator @ during DMD malfunction observation — Technical explanation of Star Wars DMD architecture and independence
“Daniel know this game better than anyone else. It would seem like because he's just effortlessly kind of just racking up points here.”
Commentator @ mid-match analysis — Recognition of competitive knowledge gap between players
“It's difficult to win. Let's just put it that way.”
Commentator @ early in match — Assessment of overall game difficulty and challenge level
“I don't know what what else to do on this game besides just shooting the Death Star and trying to collect points through that.”
Commentator @ during early gameplay — Observation about limited rule clarity or unclear objectives

Entities

Star WarsgameConcord Champ '25eventThe Flipper RoomvenueDan DempseypersonDanielperson Rickperson BrianpersonData Eastcompany

Signals

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code_update: Star Wars by Data East confirmed to have received new ROMs/code update
high · Commentators explicitly confirm 'definitely got the new ROMs' during gameplay analysis of three RAMs showing 1 million scores
?
product_concern: DMD (dot matrix display) on tournament Star Wars machine experiencing reset/malfunction issues during play
high · Commentator observation: 'What happened to the DMD there? Yeah, it's out now. Yeah. So, the DMD is resetting'
?
product_concern: Spinning tilt bob causing player frustration and difficulty with ball control
high · Player concern about 'a game that doesn't have a spinning tilt bob' and commentary about 'microscopic nudge' causing problematic tilts
?
product_concern: Star Wars exhibits unpredictable and inconsistent ball feeding between seemingly identical shots
high · Commentator: 'it's really odd that the ball did it fed to the pops on the first one but not the second one'
?
gameplay_signal: Rule objectives and progression paths on Star Wars appear unclear to commentators and possibly players
medium · Commentator states: 'I don't know what what else to do on this game besides just shooting the Death Star' and general confusion about multiball progression and jackpot structure
?

Topics

Star Wars gameplay mechanics and rule depthprimaryTournament play and competitive strategyprimaryMachine malfunction and technical issuesprimaryPlayfield layout and shot sequencesprimaryAftermarket modifications and tournament equipment rulessecondaryCode updates and ROM versionssecondaryBall control and shot feeding inconsistencysecondary

Sentiment

mixed(0.55)— Commentators show appreciation for Star Wars machine features (R2-D2 toy, Death Star) and respect for skilled play, but express frustration with design issues (spinning tilt bob, DMD malfunctions, unpredictable shot feeding, difficulty in understanding rules). The tone is professional tournament commentary with moments of exasperation at technical problems and gameplay inconsistencies.

Transcript

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Uh, let's see if the new code is on it or not. Oh, is he talking to himself or All right. So, there was like three RAMs for 1 million. So, definitely got the new ROMs. Yeah, that's what it does to you. Very nasty feed on that when you even if you shoot it straight on or back. Yeah, backhanded is probably safer because the ball does not have as much juice. But yeah, difficult. It's difficult to win. Let's just put it that way. Nice skill shot there. A bit of a video mode. Yeah. So Rick plays with a little uh light that he's placed on the playfield down there. That's what you're seeing there. Uh but you can also see it in the in the display. It kind of give you a nasty kind of glare there. So and I would assume that those would be banned for next year as well, right? Because it's it's another annoying element. I guess that's what I'm coming out. You're building up a sort like pit shot there. I don't exactly where you collect it. Dan did not earn a skill shot, that's for sure. I don't know what what else to do on this game besides just shooting the Death Star and trying to collect points through that. Uh collecting Star Wars letters, I guess, is something you can do as well, but I don't know why you would do that or what that would lead to. Nice. Just flapped on the forehand. Uh didn't get a shitty kind of return on that, but it's not over yet. Oh, so you got got a little kickback lit there. I wonder if you need to hit something to get it lit. I guess so. standing by. Okay, so there's some sort of hurry up going on with the cantina band there, but that's over now. Yeah, there's a lot of hacky sacking right now. Let's see some shots here. Hy there. Oh, lucky. Nice nudge there to bring us into the action again. The flippers are tired. Let's just put it that way. I thought for sure that that was going to be a full orbit to drain. Made it all the way around. have no Oh, there was that little cheeky uh Stormtrooper video mode element there where you push the trigger when they kind of show up on a display. Nailed that. 5 million. And we're ready for multiball now or try ball as they call it. All right, Daniel got this kind of nailed. Let's do this. [cheering] Yeah, double jackpot. Keep shooting the death star. Saved twice on the um outlane kickback now. So, the death star is still spinning. I'm just assuming that that's where the jackpots are still sitting. Oh, nice. Oh, that's right. There's a little uh orbit shot kind of next to the Death Star. Oh, that's lit. Now the X-wing is flashing. Really wants a shot there now. Knock that all the way around. Oh, that's unfortunate. Yeah, I think the um uh what do I know? But uh like getting the ball into the the X-wing that was flashing there was probably what uh we wanted to do. Oh, there's an skill shot trick there. If you just kind of fire the ball blindly there, you kind of just get it. Interesting. Never seen that before. Yeah. relaunch straight down the middle. Oh yeah, cuz like it doesn't tell you what to do So, what is Joda paying out? Yoda is also lifting that shot right there. That's Death Star. What you What would you go for here? Oh, nice. Okay, so that feeds to the pops that shot just next to it there. Right there. Oh, no it did not. Lies. Nice save there. Yeah, that one tits up. Yeah, that's really odd that the ball did it fed to the pops on the first one but not the second one. Yeah, this is definitely the Star Wars. This is the Star Wars to get. It has a full R2-D2 on the playfield. What is it not to love? Keep an eye on approaching Yeah, I think uh Dan is sort of trying to get his surgeons knife out here and uh get the uh get the multiball out and do what Daniel just did. But um So now the X-wing is lit there again. I wonder what that does. All right, let's see what Let's see what it does now. He was at 133. Oh, she got into some weird mode here now. Speeder mode. 10 million just like that. Oh, there's a Stormtrooper shootout. No victory shot 25 mil. Yeah, obviously Daniel know this game better than anyone else. It would seem like because he's just effortlessly kind of just racking up points here. Yeah. So, we got Yoda flashing there. And it looks like Ben Kenobi got some distance there as well. Let's see what we Oh, the DM. What happened to the DMD there? Yeah, it's out now. Yeah. So, the DMD is resetting the DM. Oh, that's what I somebody was talking about that in in background. All right. So, there we go. Yeah. So, on these games, the the dot matrix is its own computer. So, it looks like that's resetting. I told you tilted. Yeah. Oh, no. Here's a quandry though. I don't know how to get points otherwise. All right, Brian's going to go for the for the skill shot even. All right. So, these folks have a lot of ground. Uh they need to uh cover. There's definitely a fight for second place here. Oh, Watch your back, Luke. That's our What are you doing? What are you doing? There you go. Shoot the death star. Shoot the death star. All right. 10 million. Was that 10 million on the uh on the mystery or 10 million shooting the the storm troopers. Oh, nice save. Oh, what a shitty tilt. What a shitty tilt. [screaming] Yeah, look at that. Yeah, microscopic nudge. Yeah, that was that was unfair. That was totally [ __ ] if I may say so myself. All right, so Dan Danny's up. Dan Dempsey, I'll see you. Yeah, it's going to give it a minute. Yeah. Yeah. Dan is not uh concerned about the skill shot here. I think he just wants to play a game that doesn't have a spinning tilt bob. Yes, it's kind of uh hard to know how many shots you need there. Or is it is this any indication to what you need? Like this thing here. Yeah, it's fully flashing now. But I thought that built up to the thing on the side, but all right. So, here we go. Multiball 10 million just going in there. Or was that a 5 million? All right, let's set sights on that 28 first. It looks like the jack is kind of lit on the center ramp. Oh, that was a halfy. Oh, that was another halfy of the relaunch there. Yeah, he's sniffing that gate so many times now. He's coming back again. Oh, such [ __ ] He did not collect a single one there. And he's still not passed the the 28. Oh, we got a tribball restart. Oh, that's not going to Oh, it worked. Oh, danger. Okay, so he secured second place. What a long road here. No, that's it. Game is over. All right, so I'm [music] going to sneak around uh out in the um in the room there and figure out if we can get another game from another group because these guys are playing a game that is way out of uh where I can get myself right now. So stay tuned.